Mountain House Furniture: Hosting collections that combine resilience with minimal maintenance, they extend customizable options for luxury outdoor living to satisfy every seasonable space in your home.
What's New: Guava Quartz + Stone
Hosting beauty and inspiration in engineered stone, Guava Quartz + Stone smoothly blends superior function with winning combinations of design, texture and finishes to provide near limitless décor possibilities. Providing quality products and support to architects, designers, builders, fabricators, installers and homeowners alike, their newly opened location assures an informative and enjoyable showroom experience for all.
Taming the Paper Trail Throughout the Home Buying and Selling Process
The journey to buying or selling a home may feel like an emotional rollercoaster, but it’s the paperwork that really sends people into a tailspin. From start to finish, you’ll be dealing with an avalanche of forms, disclosures, contracts, receipts, and records that can easily overwhelm even the most meticulous planner. What begins as a hopeful house hunt or a decision to list your home soon transforms into a game of document wrangling. Getting a grip on these papers early in the process can dramatically ease your stress and help you navigate this high-stakes transaction with clarity.
Understanding the Paperwork You’ll Be Handling
Buying or selling a home comes with more documents than you might expect, and many of them are legal in nature. If you’re buying, you’ll be dealing with loan estimates, purchase agreements, inspection reports, appraisal forms, closing disclosures, title insurance documents, and mortgage applications. Sellers aren’t exempt either, as they must prepare property disclosures, purchase contracts, title deeds, payoff statements, and more. And both parties can expect plenty of correspondence from real estate agents, lawyers, and lenders, all requiring review and often a signature. The sheer volume is easy to underestimate until it starts piling up.
Managing Your Files Digitally with Editing and Conversion Tools
Having your documents saved digitally means you can always take a look no matter where you are, but staying organized doesn’t stop with scanning. When you need to make edits to a document or update information, working in Word can give you the formatting control and text-editing flexibility that PDFs often lack. Once you’ve made your changes, you can use an online conversion tool to turn your Word document into a polished PDF. Simply upload your Word file, convert the format, and save the final version as a PDF so it’s ready for sharing, printing, or signing when needed.
Establishing a Filing System Early On
To keep yourself sane and prepared, it’s smart to establish a filing system from day one. Whether you prefer old-school manila folders in a cabinet or use color-coded expanding files, what matters most is consistency. Label everything by category, like financial documents, contracts, inspections, or closing paperwork, and maintain that structure throughout the process. If possible, keep a checklist that shows what documents you’ve received and what’s still missing so you’re not scrambling last-minute to locate a vital form.
Sorting Out What to Keep and What to Toss
After the deal closes, you’ll be tempted to clear the clutter, but be cautious about what gets shredded. Buyers should keep a copy of their closing disclosure, the deed, the title insurance policy, mortgage documents, inspection reports, and any warranties or service contracts for repairs. Sellers will want to hold onto the closing statement, proof of payoff on the mortgage, and a copy of the purchase contract for tax purposes. Routine emails or minor correspondence may not need to be saved forever, but anything with a signature or financial figure deserves a spot in your permanent archive.
Backing Up Your Files to Avoid Future Headaches
Relying on a single device to hold all your records is risky, especially with something as important as your home documents. Create redundant backups, such as saving to an external hard drive in addition to using a secure cloud storage platform like Google Drive or Dropbox. That way, if your laptop crashes or your phone is stolen, you still have access to your paperwork when it counts. Schedule monthly reminders to update your backup or upload new files so everything stays current without requiring a last-minute scramble during tax season or a refinance.
Creating a Master Checklist to Guide Your Progress
A master checklist can become your most trusted ally during the home buying or selling process, which includes staging your home. This single document tracks each key item you’ve received, signed, or submitted and flags what’s still outstanding. As things progress, you’ll be juggling multiple deadlines, and this checklist keeps your attention on the details without missing a beat. Whether you build it in Excel or use a task management app, this tool creates order from chaos and makes sure nothing gets left behind.
Color-Coding for Visual Clarity
Sometimes visual cues go a long way when you’re buried in forms and paperwork. Using color-coded folders or digital tags can make your filing system much easier to navigate at a glance. Assign one color to legal documents, another to financials, and a third to inspection reports so you’re not digging endlessly through a stack of files. These small tweaks can help you find what you need faster and reduce the stress of sifting through endless PDFs or folders.
Managing the paperwork for a home transaction doesn’t have to be a miserable experience if you create a proactive system and stick to it. From understanding which documents to expect to creating backups and tracking deadlines, staying on top of your forms can prevent last-minute headaches and keep you focused on the bigger picture. Take advantage of digital tools to scan, store, and convert documents so you can streamline your process no matter where you are. With the right plan in place and a few smart habits, you’ll move through the home buying or selling process with more confidence and a lot less clutter.
Discover the pinnacle of custom home design and innovation with Best Home Magazine, your ultimate resource for upscale residential development in Alberta.
A Journey of Growth
Calgreen Homes engages family-oriented living through a thoughtful layout that balances private and communal areas amicably.
What's New & Different? - Bluebird Self Storage
Bluebird reigns at the forefront in providing quality and versatility in self-storage solutions.
Check out the difference!
Bluebirdstorage.ca
Avoid the Pitfalls: How to Build a Custom Home Without Losing the Plot
There’s a particular kind of nerve it takes to build a custom home. Not buy. Build. The kind of nerve that mixes ambition with spreadsheets and emotional stamina. You think you’re planning your dream life, but the wrong contractor, the wrong delay, even the wrong soil can turn it into a bureaucratic stress test. So before you dig the first hole, pour the first footing, or pick a single paint chip, you need a plan that doesn’t buckle the minute things go sideways. Here's your unofficial starter kit for building a home in Canada that won't make you lose your shirt—or your patience.
Start With a Solid Plan
Start by deciding what you’re building and who it’s for. Not just bedrooms and square footage, but the life you picture in those walls five, ten, twenty years from now. In Canada, you're looking at a unique mix of climate and regulation, so those dreamy Pinterest boards need a dose of local realism. Before a shovel hits the ground, you’ll need a timeline for constructing a custom home that maps out phases from excavation to drywall. Without that, everything that follows starts wobbly. Build backward from your move-in date and get real about seasonal slowdowns and permit lag. Then get it all on paper—your future sanity will thank you.
Use Tech to Track Receipts
You can get lost in paperwork faster than you can say insulation invoice. Don't let your glove compartment or kitchen drawer become your filing system. These days, it’s easy to snap a photo with your phone and instantly store receipts and invoices digitally. A free scanner app can convert physical papers into password-protected PDFs and even compress bulky documents to save space. That way, whether it’s a plumbing quote or lumber receipt, you’ve got it backed up and searchable. Organizing your finances shouldn’t depend on a shoebox and a Sharpie.
Choose the Right Lot
You can’t fix a bad lot, no matter how good your blueprints are. Where you build determines more than your commute or the view, it shapes your build costs, utility access, and how complicated the permit process gets. That beautiful hillside might need pricey retaining walls, and rural land could be a septic money pit. Before anything, study zoning bylaws, local topography, and the fine print on easements. Canadians hoping to build in or around cities need to be extra sharp when buying land to build a home because availability is tight and bidding can be fierce. One bad location can sabotage a perfect house.
Budget With Breathing Room
You think you’ve got a number in your head. Multiply it. Then add more. Then tack on at least fifteen percent as a just-in-case cushion. Custom builds are famous for budget creep, and it’s not just the tile you upgrade at the last minute. If you’re not keeping an eye on everything from drywall to ductwork, you’ll get blindsided. Before signing anything, try to estimate costs including land, materials and contingency fees like inspections, engineering reports, or even soil testing. Don't just plan for what it costs, plan for what it could cost if anything slips sideways.
Pick a Builder Who Gets You
You’re not just hiring someone to swing hammers. You’re choosing the person who translates your wild scribbles and budget worries into walls that stand up in a Canadian winter. You want honesty, experience, and the kind of clear communication that doesn’t make you feel like you’re speaking Greek. Ask to see past builds, talk to former clients, and look for someone who’s not rattled by your questions. The stakes are too high to wing it or settle. There’s no shame in obsessively selecting the perfect custom home builder before you ever sign a single document.
Know Your Permits and Zoning
Skip this step and your build could stall for months. Each municipality has its own rules, restrictions, and hoops to jump through, and they don’t move fast. Think zoning bylaws, conservation approvals, and heritage overlays, all with their own fine print. Even if you hire a contractor, you need to stay involved so you’re not blindsided by a surprise inspection or compliance delay. A good place to start is understanding the construction process today, based on a single-family home, especially if this is your first time building from scratch. This isn’t red tape, it’s the foundation of getting your project off the ground without getting fined into next year.
Expect Delays, Plan for Surprises
No matter how good your spreadsheet is, your build is going to veer off script. Materials go out of stock, city inspectors get backlogged, or your dream countertop is stuck on a ship in the Pacific. What separates the meltdown stories from the happy endings is adaptability. Build your schedule like you’d pack for a camping trip in Ontario—hope for the best, prep for the worst. Don't assume progress will be linear. Know upfront that building a house involves several crucial considerations that can change fast and often, so leave breathing room in your timeline and your expectations.
Custom home building isn’t for the faint-hearted, but it doesn’t have to be a crash course in regret. You’re allowed to dream, but you’re also allowed to interrogate every quote and walk away from anything that smells off. A little planning goes a long way, and the right mix of patience, precision, and perspective can carry you through. Just don’t get too attached to perfection—get attached to progress. Because at the end of the day, if you play it right, you won’t just be building walls and windows. You’ll be building the kind of home that can weather anything, especially you.
Discover the pinnacle of custom home design and innovation with Best Home Magazine, your ultimate resource for inspiration and insights in Alberta’s upscale residential market.
What's New and Different?
Whitemud has further branched out into building products such as veneer stone, rooftop flooring systems, and outdoor porcelain tile.
Construction Networking Table Top Trade Show
Are you a Homeowner, Condo Owner, Commercial Leaseholder, Renovator, Trade Supplier?
Learn • Mix • Mingle
Homeowners get FREE entry!
June 13, 2025
2:00 pm – 6:00 pm
HOST MEMBER:
**** Registration details ↓ ****
Click: www.calgaryrenovationcontractors.ca
It's not too late to acquire your 2025 Annual Membership to the Calgary Renovation group and/or Women In Construction Networking group.
Contact the office for further details at 587-581-5533
or email info@calgaryrenovationcontractors.ca
Feature in our Winter 2024 Issue: North Pointe Homes
An innovator, homebuilder and visionary, one could say that North Pointe Homes is transforming Edmonton’s established neighbourhoods one home at a time. Experts in crafting residences of exceptional design and merit, this award-winning, custom infill homebuilder turns opportunity into a home that’s perfectly tailored to you—right in the heart of the city.
Best Home Community Awareness
Calgary Women In Construction (CWIC) provides its members with a platform to effectively promote and grow their business, network, and engage in professional development opportunities. We support, encourage and provide our members with an enriching environment to showcase their company’s products and services.
CWIC hosts many events throughout the year, including Lunch and Learns, After Hours Mixers, and Trade shows. As well, we provide a job board where one can post positions or search for employment opportunities. We encourage you to join our growing organization, attend our fun and informative events, and meet women from all facets of Calgary’s home building and general construction industry. From tradespeople and suppliers to interior designers, construction estimators, and innovative entrepreneurs, all are welcome.
COMMUNITY EVENTS FOR
HOMEOWNERS… AND THOSE WHO IMPROVE HOMES
CRCA hosts numerous speaker events and trade shows in various communities across Calgary throughout the year to educate homeowners on home enhancement options and which may be the best for you.
First Time Home Buyers: Avoid Buying A Money Pit
Buying New vs. Remodelling
Renovating Existing vs Tearing Down to the Foundation and Rebuilding
How to Find the Right Trade, Contractor, and Building Supplies
The CRCA was formed to assist as a bridge between the homeowner and the renovator, trade supplier, designer, and related industry professionals (architects, electricians, etc.)
With online membership advertisement, in-person networking events, and trade shows, CRCA provides a resource for homeowners to utilize when embarking on a small or large renovation.
We connect renovators, contractors, trades, and suppliers with residential and commercial clients through in-person networking events, marketing, and trade shows!
Homeowners and Commercial Consumers: We can help you find reputable renovators and trade suppliers for your next renovation project.
TAPAS & TRADES NETWORKING EVENT
Wednesday May 7, 2025
HOMEOWNERS, INSURANCE AGENTS, REALTORS, TRADE & RENOVATORS, DESIGNERS & ARCHITECTS
**MUST register in advance
EASY E-TRANSFER TO: info@calgaryrenovationcontractors.ca
Homeowners & Construction Industry Network and Learn from the best renovation and trade suppliers.
Member Rate: $35.00
Non-Member: $45.00
Jerome’s Appliance Gallery, 7152 Fisher Street SE
MEMBER HOSTS
Calgary Women In Construction & Synergy BQI
SAVE THE DATES:
UPCOMING CONSTRUCTION NETWORKING EVENTS
FRIDAY, JUNE 13, 2-6 PM, ANNUAL TABLE TOP TRADE SHOW, BAKER TILLY CATALYST, CAITLIN SIMPSON, SHAWNEEN NEUMAN
THURSDAY, JULY 17, 4-8 PM, ANNUAL SUMMER BBQ, VIPEQ WEST, ADAM SCHAFFER, TAYLOR HUDEMA
FOR MORE INFORMATION, PLEASE CONTACT ELAINE!
Elaine Coates Hedin
Calgary Women In Construction Inc &
Calgary Renovation Contractors Association
www.calgarywomeninconstruction.com
www.calgaryrenovationcontractors.ca
587-581-5533
Isla Animals Newsletter
Isla Animals has started the new year stronger than ever. No better time than the present to set up new goals, new ambitious plans and ever so important projects!
Join us while we get ready to celebrate the second anniversary of breaking ground at Oasis!
These last months have been so busy, we are late on sending this newsletter... but forgive us! It's just a testimony of how hard our little team works and how much we are doing!
So... want to see more of what we are doing!?
In March, we hosted another one of our spay and neuter campaigns—something we absolutely love doing here at Isla Animals Oasis!
This time, it was a two-day whirlwind right at our shelter, and while we’re still learning how to best use and adapt our space for events like this, it was a true example of what teamwork and community can achieve. We had about 20 amazing volunteers show up to help, including the incredible Alison and Trina, who joined us with all their heart and energy.
The first day threw us a curveball—we had over 70 animals checked in and were short one vet, so things moved a little slower than we hoped. But everyone kept going, stayed patient, and gave their all. By the end of the day, we had successfully spayed/neutered 33 dogs and 4 cats.
On day two, we caught our rhythm. The team powered through and made up for lost time—spaying/neutering another 47 dogs and 27 cats. That brought us to a total of 110 animals in just two days!
It’s always incredible to see what’s possible when people come together. And doing it all here at Oasis made it even more special. We're still figuring out how to make the space work for events like this—where to set up check-in, how to keep animals cool and comfortable, and how to streamline our flow—but every campaign teaches us something new. Each time, we feel a little more at home in our new space.
Thank you to all the volunteers who came and offered their time to this worthy cause! Thank you to the vets that do fantastic work, thank you to the rescuers that worked on trapping doggies and bringing them over, and doing all the legwork! Thank you to Pat for fundraising for this event, and thank you to Nicole from SMIO Digital Marketing for sponsoring half of the animals we did.
It takes a village. You are the best village!
INTAKE
And everything else going on! (truly it's a lot... so we'll list you the main things!)
We have taken so many doggies in the last two months!!!! Babies, mommies, pregnant dogs, abandoned doggies, more litters dumped in cardboard boxes in Isla Mujeres... more TVT cases... a bit of everything!
These last few months we rescued a litter of wild puppies (had never been touched by a human!) right around the corner of Oasis, we took in another litter abandoned in a cardboard box in Isla and two puppies that were repeatedly left in the streets a a high risk of getting hit by cars, we took a few adults, mostly pregnant females, and we have been helping a rescue friend to place her very adoptable doggies.
It's been a lot of dogs coming in, but also, thanks to this amazing community, it has also been a lot of doggies leaving for a better life!!!!
Isla Mujeres Outreach program
We keep working on Isla as we always have, thanks to our dearest volunteer, Ashley. She is our force on site, picking up doggies for spay and neuter, checking on sick doggies in the streets, even bringing them to the vet when necessary. And, of course, picking up puppies that then come to Oasis!
Brown dog has not improved as we would have liked to. He has ehrlichia and is anemic. We provided his family with the meds but we don't know if they actually gave them to him... so here Ashley went to the vet for some bloodwork.
He is so skiny because he has ehrlichia. This is what it looks like, a tick-borne disease that's preventable and that a lot of dogs live with (75% of our intake comes positive for Ehrlichia - we do spend a lot of money on doxycycline!!!). Do remember, he has a family. We need to treat him, yes, but also make sure his family better care for him... as they have gotten a puppy now... as well..
Another project going on in Isla is helping in cases where we know people cannot afford to feed their animals. These doggies live on the Caribbean side going towards Punta Sur, many have seen them. We stopped to talk to the owners (always the place to start!) and they explained that they cannot feed them properly. The dogs are not in bad shape, but they had fleas and ticks, so we gave them preventatives, dewormed them, and bring them food every other week, so yes! Food donations are always welcome and put to good use!!!
Jungle Puppies RESCUE
This was a special one, mainly cause we were looking for one puppy and found four... a wild momma, and a whole pack of jungle doggies that needed some help. It was a rush to rescue them and here there it the full video!!!!
Isla Animals OASIS news!
We still have some stuff to do at Oasis... while we are 100% operational... we have a ton of things to be finished and this is what we are working on!!!!
We are soon approaching the 2 year anniversary of that day in May when we broke land for the first time... It hasn't even been two years yet!
Our GFM is still active... please consider donating so we can finish the million details left here to be able to say we finished Isla Animals Oasis!!!! It's been going slow, but every little bit helps and every month we get your donations and that is how Oasis exists today!!!!! THANK YOU!
And as always...
THANK YOU! Thank you for believing in our mission and sharing this crazy adventure with us! There is still a lot to do... so stay tuned and help if you can! Every little bit makes a huge difference!
Please help us with this beautiful project. We still need funds to finish the volunteers' apartment, fence different areas, and so much more.
https://www.gofundme.com/f/help-save-isla-animals-rescue?utm_campaign=p_lico+share-sheet&utm_medium=copy_link&utm_source=customer
What's New & Different? National Audio Video—Lighting control is an expanding part of their business.
Feature in our Winter 2024 Issue: Homes by AVI
THE SOVEREIGN
Redefining the art of urban living in downtown Calgary, Sovereign on 17th blends modern luxury with the city’s own vibrant energy, capturing a distinctive and unique urban experience. A premiere, concrete, mid-rise residential development of impressive style and stature, Homes by Avi is positioned to unveil urban living at its core.
What's New & Different? Cosentino Introduces - Le Chic Bohème by Silestone®XM
Featured in our new Winter 2024 Issue: Vicky's Homes
PAST & PRESENCE
Vicky’s Home’s commitment to creating a lifestyle that is considerately connected to its setting reveals a tropical oasis of features and function for the entire family.
Our new Winter 2024 issue is now available on newsstands for $6.95 CDN.
(Hint: try your local Indigo for guaranteed results)
A digital issue can be downloaded at our store here for $3.99 CDN.
To subscribe to Best Home visit our page here
A one year subscription (2 issues, print copies) is $12.99 or two year subscription (4 issues) is $19.95
Get your issue today!
The Winter 2024 issue is now available!
Our new Winter 2024 issue is now available on newsstands for $6.95 CDN.
(Hint: try your local Indigo for guaranteed results)
A digital issue can be downloaded at our store here for $3.99 CDN.
To subscribe to Best Home visit our page here
A one-year subscription (2 issues, print copies) is $12.99 or two-year subscription (4 issues) is $19.95
Get your issue today!
How 5 Major Events Are Reshaping the Housing Market for 2025
#1 - The Bank of Canada Gets Cut-Happy
The Bank's rate-cutting spree looked like a going-out-of-business sale - five markdowns totalling 175 basis points. By December, prime rate was all the way down to 5.45% as Team Macklem tried anxiously to pump up our wilting economy.
2025 outlook: No one will be surprised if unemployment tops seven percent. However, slowing population growth and a U.S.-led economic rebound (assuming we get no debilitating tariffs) should keep job losses from doing a full-on mountain climber impression. That's a positive for both mortgage arrears and originations.
#2 - U.S. Tariffs Loom Large
President-elect Donald Trump, with all the finesse of a bull in a crystal shop, has proposed a 25% tariff on Canadian goods. The concerns he cited included drug trafficking and illegal immigration into the U.S. His proposal, seen as a partial bluff by some, sparked equal parts panic, outrage and disbelief on this side of the border.
2025 outlook: Uncle Sam needs Canadian natural resources like a smartphone needs a charger, and our next government should get more handshakes than eye rolls from Trump. Moreover, trade wars would cost too many American jobs. Hence, this humble author's expectation is that tariffs—if any—should be limited to relatively short-lived 10% tariffs with carve-outs. In the event this expectation is wrong, and an all-out trade war ensues, rates could take a recession-driven dive followed by a dreaded stagflation boomerang back up.
#3 - Canadian Politics Turns into a Soap Opera
Finance Minister Chrystia Freeland's abrupt resignation in December sent Trudeau's Liberal's into a tailspin. Add that to U.S. tariff threats, more inflationary spending proposals, Trump's mockery of Trudeau, and a slew of new spending, and you get a sweeping loss of confidence in our government.
2025 outlook: A federal election should be triggered as early as late March when the House returns from break, with an actual election as soon as mid-to-late spring. A Pierre Poilievre-led government could cut spending (bearish for bond yields), slash taxes (bullish for bond yields) and improve investor sentiment (bullish for bond yields). As a base case, one can expect an economic boost that should limit the downsides of inflation, bond yields, and mortgage rates.
#4 - Unemployment Climbs the Charts
The unemployment rate ascended to a three-year peak of 6.8% in November. Despite adding 239,000 full-time jobs for the 25-plus crowd, economic vital signs remained weak. That convinced the Bank to prescribe extra rate-cutting medicine (50 bps cuts) in both October and December.
2025 outlook: Canada survived the rate hike tsunami far better than doomsayers predicted. And, despite unemployment hitting multi-year highs, average core inflation remained stickier than expected–ending the year at 2.65%. That's clearly well above the BoC's 2% target—and it's trending up—which could potentially limit the downside for rates.
#5 - Real Estate Finds Its Floor
Overall home values flatlined in 2024, as measured by CREA's benchmark national home price. Rapid household formation, falling rates, improved sentiment and rising incomes helped put a floor under prices. By year-end, real estate activity was hitting two-year highs.
2025 outlook: Real estate pundits are widely predicting home price appreciation this year on the back of falling rates, modestly better affordability, improved confidence, looser mortgage rules and rising incomes. While these first four factors are a near lock, the most important driver (falling rates) is anything but. Market-implied rate cut probabilities suggest at least one or two more Bank of Canada rate drops. The same can't be said for bond yields, however, which are largely at the mercy of Trump 2.0 and inflation.
Mute the Noise, Master Risk Management
Uncertainty in the mortgage business is nothing new. Canada's mortgage market will ride out any storms as it always has.
Borrowers should treat market noise like a bad soundtrack - mute it and focus on managing rate risk—to the extent their finances and mindset dictate. The sweet spot to start the year is the 3-year fixed. It offers a degree of protection against reinflation, lower penalty risk and attractive pricing relative to other terms. But don't overlook 5-year hybrids (part fixed and part variable). They're like custom-tailored mortgage suits, given their ability to precisely calibrate rate exposure to the borrower's risk appetite.
Featured in our Summer 2024 Issue: Timber Ridge Homes
Nature va Nurture
Timber Ridge Homes delivers more than a lifestyle, they create comparable beauty amidst superb settings that act as an extension of home.




Our new Summer 2024 issue is now available on newsstands for $7.95 CDN.
(Hint: try your local Indigo for guaranteed results)
A digital issue can be downloaded at our store here for $3.99 CDN.
To subscribe to Best Home visit our page here
A one year subscription (2 issues) is $12.99 or two year subscription (4 issues) is $19.95
Get your issue today!
What's New & Different: Delta Fiberglass Windows & Doors
Featured in our Summer 2024 Issue: Diamond Contracting
Personality Plus
Diamond Contracting shows how a little imagination and inspiration can capture lifestyle with an abundance of warmth and charm.





Our new Summer 2024 issue is now available on newsstands for $7.95 CDN.
(Hint: try your local Indigo for guaranteed results)
A digital issue can be downloaded at our store here for $3.99 CDN.
To subscribe to Best Home visit our page here
A one year subscription (2 issues) is $12.99 or two year subscription (4 issues) is $19.95
Get your issue today!